The 2026 equestrian season is in full swing, delivering record-breaking performances, new world rankings, and landmark governance decisions. From Ros Canter's historic third Badminton title to Erynn Ballard's dominant show jumping campaign, the sport's biggest names are rewriting the record books. Whether you follow dressage, eventing, or show jumping, here is your expert-curated roundup of the most important equestrian stories shaping the season right now, brought to you by Horse Sport, Canada's equestrian authority.
Ros Canter Makes Badminton History
The Mars Badminton Horse Trials is a CCI5* competition founded in 1949 and held annually on the Duke of Beaufort's estate in Gloucestershire, England. In May 2026, Britain's Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo became the first combination to win the title three times in the event's 77-year history. Just three and a half months after giving birth to her second daughter, Canter dominated all three phases to clinch the richest first prize in eventing: £125,000.
New Zealander Tim Price rose to second place with an outstanding clear show jumping round on Falco, while Harry Meade finished third after a single rail dropped him from the runner-up spot. Read the full story of Ros Canter and Walter's record-breaking weekend and learn more about the increased prize money at Badminton.
FEI World Rankings Shake-Up for May 2026
The FEI World Rankings are the official global standings published monthly by the Fédération Equestre Internationale to rank riders across Olympic equestrian disciplines. The May 2026 update brought notable movement across the board.
Dressage
Denmark's Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour holds the number-one spot with a perfect six wins from six starts this season. Charlotte Fry of Great Britain has climbed two places to second, while Belgium's Justin Verboomen, the reigning European champion, sits third.
Show Jumping
Kent Farrington of the USA reclaimed the top Longines Jumping ranking, with Great Britain's Scott Brash and Richard Vogel of Germany close behind. France's Nina Mallevaey remains the world's top-ranked female show jumper after breaking into the top 10 earlier this year.
Eventing
Britain's Harry Meade leads the eventing standings, followed by Boyd Martin of the USA and Olympic gold medallist Laura Collett. For Canada, Jessica Phoenix sits 46th. Explore the full breakdown in the FEI World Rankings update for May 2026.
| Discipline | #1 | #2 | #3 | Top Canadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dressage | Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) | Charlotte Fry (GBR) | Justin Verboomen (BEL) | Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (19th) |
| Show Jumping | Kent Farrington (USA) | Scott Brash (GBR) | Richard Vogel (GER) | Erynn Ballard (33rd) |
| Eventing | Harry Meade (GBR) | Boyd Martin (USA) | Laura Collett (GBR) | Jessica Phoenix (46th) |
Erynn Ballard's Remarkable Show Jumping Season
Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard has been the breakout story of the 2026 winter circuit. She earned the Overall Leading Lady Rider Award at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, accumulating 557 points over 12 weeks of competition to edge France's Nina Mallevaey by 18 points.
Ballard's winning streak stretches back to November 2025, with victories at venues including WEC-Ocala, the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, and the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, where she and Chatadel PS won the $125,000 Hagyard Lexington Grand Prix CSI3*. Her world ranking has climbed steadily from 40th to 33rd since February. Follow her season highlights including the Leading Lady Rider honor at WEF.
FEI Eventing Nations Cup 2026 Launches New Format
The FEI Eventing Nations Cup is an annual team competition that pits national squads against each other across a series of four-star events in Europe. Now in its 14th year, the 2026 edition introduces a restructured format with five qualifying legs and a Final in Boekelo, Netherlands, from October 1 to 4.
The new system replaces the cumulative season-long points model with a format designed to increase unpredictability. Each team fields three or four rider-horse combinations, with the best three scores counting. Nations may compete in as many qualifiers as they wish, but only their top three leg results determine the Final qualifying score.
Defending champion Germany enters as strong favorites, led by Olympic champion Michael Jung aboard Fischerchipmunk FRH. The opening leg took place May 14 to 17 at Gestüt Marbach. Read the full FEI Eventing Nations Cup 2026 preview.
Aachen World Championships: Road to LA 2028
All eyes are turning to the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, August 11 to 23. The championships will host dressage, driving, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, and vaulting, and serve as the first Olympic qualifier of the quadrennial for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Equestrian Canada has released selection criteria for Canadian athletes in dressage, eventing, jumping, and para-dressage. EC High Performance Director James Hood called the event a critical mid-quad benchmark. Meanwhile, the 2026 National Dressage and Para-Dressage Championships are set for October, with Eastern Championships in Bécancour, Québec, and Western Championships at Thunderbird Show Park in British Columbia.
Equestrian Canada Board Elections and Governance
Equestrian Canada is the national governing body for equestrian sport and industry in Canada. The organization is holding its 2026 Annual General Meeting on May 26, where voting members will elect directors to fill three vacancies on the board for three-year terms ending in 2029.
Seven candidates were selected from an initial pool of 13 applicants. The results will be announced publicly on May 27. For the latest on EC governance, see the candidates nominated for the EC Board.
Key Takeaways
- Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo became the first combination to win Badminton three times, earning £125,000.
- Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour leads the FEI dressage world rankings with a perfect 2026 record.
- Erynn Ballard's consistent performances have lifted her to 33rd in the world jumping rankings and the WEF Leading Lady Rider title.
- The FEI Eventing Nations Cup 2026 debuts a new format designed to make the Final more competitive.
- Aachen 2026 World Championships will be the first Olympic qualifier for LA 2028.
- Equestrian Canada is electing three new board directors at the May 26 AGM.
- Germany enters the Nations Cup as defending champions led by Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 Badminton Horse Trials?
Ros Canter of Great Britain won Badminton 2026 riding Lordships Graffalo (known as "Walter"), making them the first combination to win the five-star title three times in the event's 77-year history.
Who is ranked number one in FEI dressage in May 2026?
Denmark's Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour holds the top spot with six wins from six starts this season, ahead of Charlotte Fry (GBR) in second and Justin Verboomen (BEL) in third.
How is Erynn Ballard performing in the 2026 show jumping season?
Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard has risen to 33rd in the world rankings. She won the Overall Leading Lady Rider Award at WEF 2026 and captured multiple grand prix victories including the $125,000 Hagyard Lexington Grand Prix.
What is the new format for the 2026 FEI Eventing Nations Cup?
The 2026 series features five qualifying legs at CCI4*-S level and a CCI4*-L Final in Boekelo. It replaces the cumulative points system, with only each nation's top three leg results counting toward qualification for the Final.
When and where are the 2026 FEI World Championships?
The FEI World Championships take place August 11 to 23, 2026, in Aachen, Germany. They cover dressage, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, driving, and vaulting, and serve as the first LA 2028 Olympic qualifier.
When is the Equestrian Canada AGM in 2026?
The EC AGM takes place May 26, 2026, when voting members will elect three new directors to the board. Results will be announced May 27.
Who leads the FEI show jumping world rankings?
Kent Farrington of the USA currently leads the Longines Jumping Rankings, followed by Scott Brash (GBR) and Richard Vogel (GER). Nina Mallevaey of France is the highest-ranked female athlete at seventh.
What are the 2026 FEI Eventing Nations Cup dates?
Marbach, Germany (May 14 to 17); Bicton, Great Britain (May 27 to 31); Strzegom, Poland (June 25 to 28); Avenches, Switzerland (July 16 to 19); Lignières, France (September 23 to 27); Final at Boekelo, Netherlands (October 1 to 4).
Stay on Top of the 2026 Equestrian Season
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